Dishwasher motor mounting

ABSTRACT

A dishwasher having a tub for washing liquid and an opening in the bottom through which is suspended the motor of a motor-pump unit with the pump being on the interior of the tub, a sealing gasket around the unit and supported by the inner surface of the tub adjacent the opening and a plurality of spring clips exerting a downward force on the motor and upward force on the pump and a compressive force against the bottom surface of the tub in the region of the opening to increase the downward pull on the sealing gasket.

United States Patent Robert W. Coburn, Sr. Minneapolis;

John B. Lyman, Bloomington, both of, Mlnn.

July 17, 1969 June 8, 1971 Whirlpool Corporation Inventors Appl, No. Filed Patented Assignee DISHWASHER MOTOR MOUNTING [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,288 12/1949 Ho11erith,. 415/201UX 3,398,866 8/1968 Flame et al. 134/188X 3,406,637 10/1968 Perl 134/188X Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorneys-James S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Gene A.

Heth, Burton H. Baker, Donald W. Thomas, Frank C. Harter and Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman and McCord ABSTRACT: A dishwasher having a tub for washing liquid and an opening in the bottom through which is suspended the motor of a motobpump unit with the pump being on the interior of the tub, a sealing gasket around the unit and supported by the inner surface of the tub adjacent the opening and a plurality of spring clips exerting a downward force on the motor and upward force on the pump and a compressive force against the bottom surface of the tub in the region of the opening to increase the downward pull on the sealing gasket.

PATENTEU JUN e IQYI 3.583835 INVENTORS.

ROBERT W. COBURN 5R. JOHN B. LYMAN ,v M, maMJ/zwwww BY 7% m M ATTORNEYS.

DISHWASHER MOTOR MOUNTING One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved gasket seal structure which employs a plurality of spring clips having the function of pressing the motor-pump unit more securely against the sealing gasket on the interior of the tub to prevent damage to the parts thereof during severe handling of the dishwasher.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view partially broken away of a dishwasher embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the structure at the bottom of the tub.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a spring clip of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the clip.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the clip.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the second embodiment of the clip.

The dishwasher 10 of the illustrated embodiment includes the usual cabinet 11 with a front opening door 12 and a pair of vertically spaced rotatable spray arms 13 that are rotatable during use to spray washing liquid within an interior tub 14.

The tub 14 has a bottom sump 15 of generally inverted truncated conical shape and has a central circular opening 16 in which is positioned a motor-pump unit 17. The pump of the unit includes a pump body 18 positioned within the opening 16 and an electric motor 19 depending therefrom and beneath the sump opening 16. The motor 19 is suspended from the pump body 18 by a plurality of studs 20, of which only one is shown in FIG. 2, but the disclosed embodiment uses four of these supporting studs 20 spaced about 90 apart as indicated in FIG. 1.

In order to seal the unit 17 in liquidtight relationship to the bottom interior surface 21 of the sump 15 in the area surrounding the central opening 16, there is provided a sealing gasket 23 between the outer periphery of the pump body 18 and the interior surface 21 around the opening 16.

As a further sealing element there is provided a spring clip 24 for each stud 20. Thus, in the disclosed embodiment there are four of these clips. Each clip, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, comprises a pair of spring portions 25 and 26 that flare outwardly from each other when unstressed, as shown in FIG. 4, with the result that they describe in side elevation a generally hairpin shape. Each spring portion contains an opening for receiving a stud 20, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with one spring portion 25 bearing upwardly against the bottom of the pump body 18 and the other portion 26 hearing downwardly against the motor 19. When the clips are assembled in their operating position, the spring portions 25 and 26 are distorted toward each other as shown in FIG. 2 to exert a spring pressure as described.

Each spring clip 24 is provided with a part 27 which in 'the illustrated embodiment is the root end of the upper spring portion 25 that is adjacent the bend 28 that connects the upper and lower spring portions 25 and 26. This part 27 of each clip 24 carries a resilient bumper 29 which may be of rubber or the like and when the clip 24 is in position the top inner part of the bumper is compressed against the outer surface of the tub adjacent the opening 16 to exert a compressive force holding the pump body 18 tightly pressed against the sealing gasket 23.

As is shown in FIG. 2, each stud 20 has an intermediate section 30 of reduced cross section and one of these spring portions, here shown as the extended end 25, has a slotted end 31 that can pass around the reduced section 30 when the spring portions 25 and 26 are tightly compressed toward each other which, of course, also compresses the intermediate portion 31 of the rubber bumper 29 therebetween. This slotted end 31 has an enlarged area 32 that as shown is at the extreme inner end for receiving an end 33 of the stud.

The other spring portion 26 is provided with a relatively wide tapered slot like that at 54 (FIG. 3) which receives the opposite stud end 35 when the spring clip is in position.

The pump body 18 on the side adjacent the motor 19 is provided with a plurality of radiating ribs 36 with each stud 20 being located at a rib. Each clip has its one spring portion 25 provided with ends bent upwardly as indicated at 37 so that these two bent ends will be positioned on opposite sides of a corresponding rib 36 in order to hold the clip 24 against turning movement on its stud 20.

An alternative embodiment of the invention may be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the alternative embodiment the rectangular resilient bumper 29 is replaced with a circular resilient bumper 29. Bumper 29 has a reduced thickness portion which passes through an opening in the spring portion 45 which has a flat section 47 to thereby retain the bumper on the clip 44. This embodiment is likewise provided with a second spring portion 46 and a bend 48.

With this invention a very simple device which is embodied in the plurality of spring clips 24 not only increases the sealing force on the annular gasket 23 which seals the motor-pump unit 17 to the bottom of the tub 15 but also provides resilient mounting of the motor-pump unit 17 to the tub 15 so that rough handling of the dishwasher, whether during shipment or after installation, prevents damage to the motor-pump unit 17 and particularly to the porcelain finish typically applied to the tub 15.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified.

The embodiments of the invention in which we claim an exclusive property or privilege are defined as follows:

I. A dishwasher comprising: a tub with a bottom opening; a motor-pump unit in said opening with the motor suspended beneath the tub; spaced mounting studs connecting the pump and motor; gasket sealing means around said opening between said unit and the interior of the tub; and a plurality of spring clips each having a pair of spring portions with openings receiving a said stud, one said portion bearing upwardly against said pump and the other bearing downwardly against said motor, each said clip being provided with a part adjacent the outer surface of said tub and carrying a resilient bumper compressed against said outer surface to exert a downward force on said gasket sealing means.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein each said stud has an intermediate section of reduced cross section, and one of said spring portions has a slotted end passing around said intermediate section in installing said clip and an enlarged area receiving a said end.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein said pump is provided with an external rib adjacent each stud, and each said clip has a spring portion with a slot receiving a stud and a said rib to hold the clip against turning relative to its stud.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein each said stud has an intermediate section between its ends of reduced cross section, said slot having a width to pass around said reduced section, and an enlarged area receiving a said stud end to secure said clip on its stud.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein each said clip is of U- shape having a pair of leg spring portions connected by a bend, each of said spring portions having a slot receiving a said stud.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein each said stud has an intennediate section of reduced cross section, and one of said spring portions has a slotted end passing around said intermediate section in installing said clip and an enlarged area receiving a said end.

7. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein said pump is provided with an external rib adjacent each stud, and each said clip has a spring portion with a slot receiving a stud and a said rib to hold the clip against turning relative to its stud wherein each said stud has an intermediate section between its ends of reduced cross section, said slot having a width to pass around said reduced section, and an enlarged area receiving a said stud end to secure said clip on its stud. 

1. A dishwasher comprising: a tub with a bottom opening; a motor-pump unit in said opening with the motor suspended beneath the tub; spaced mounting studs connecting the pump and motor; gasket sealing means around said opening between said unit and the interior of the tub; and a plurality of spring clips each having a pair of spring portions with openings receiving a said stud, one said portion bearing upwardly against said pump and the other bearing downwardly against said motor, each said clip being provided with a part adjacent the outer surface of said tub and carrying a resilient bumper compressed against said outer surface to exert a downward force on said gasket sealing means.
 2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein each said stud has an intermediate section of reduced cross section, and one of said spring portions has a slotted end passing around said intermediate section in installing said clip and an enLarged area receiving a said end.
 3. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein said pump is provided with an external rib adjacent each stud, and each said clip has a spring portion with a slot receiving a stud and a said rib to hold the clip against turning relative to its stud.
 4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein each said stud has an intermediate section between its ends of reduced cross section, said slot having a width to pass around said reduced section, and an enlarged area receiving a said stud end to secure said clip on its stud.
 5. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein each said clip is of U-shape having a pair of leg spring portions connected by a bend, each of said spring portions having a slot receiving a said stud.
 6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein each said stud has an intermediate section of reduced cross section, and one of said spring portions has a slotted end passing around said intermediate section in installing said clip and an enlarged area receiving a said end.
 7. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein said pump is provided with an external rib adjacent each stud, and each said clip has a spring portion with a slot receiving a stud and a said rib to hold the clip against turning relative to its stud wherein each said stud has an intermediate section between its ends of reduced cross section, said slot having a width to pass around said reduced section, and an enlarged area receiving a said stud end to secure said clip on its stud. 